Collimator and a lighting unit

Abstract

The invention provides a collimator comprising a Fresnel lens comprising a refractive lens portion and a toothed total internal reflection portion. A light blocking element is at least between the lens portion and the light source. A portion of a light source output is blocked from reaching at least one region of the inner lens portion. At some or all parts of the lens portion, light does not reach those parts from the full area of the light source. This partial light blocking means the whole shape of the light source is not projected onto all of the lens portion, and the halo effect is reduced or eliminated.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates to lighting arrangements, and in particular lighting arrangements which make use of one or more collimators.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Collimators, for example collimators used for light emitting diode (LED) applications, are used to provide a directed light output, for example a spot light beam. If several LEDs are required, a plurality of round collimators are typically provided and arranged in an array, known as a “shower head” array. The shape of the collimators means that the array includes unlit areas as a consequence of the lack of tessellation of the round collimators.[0003]Thus, instead of several LEDs, a single light source (e.g. a chip on board (COB) LED) can be used with a single collimator. Single source spot lights are much preferred over multi-collimator solutions.[0004]However, the optics for a single combined light source takes up a greater depth than an array of small collimators. In many LED devices, the dep...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a collimator design that blocks light to prevent it from reaching the center of a lens structure. This blocking can be done to reduce the beam angle or to allow more light to reach larger angles. The design also includes a blocking element that narrows the light distribution and reduces color artifacts, while maintaining peak intensity. The blocking element can be a conical baffle or a set of radially extending fins that block skew rays. Overall, this design helps to produce a more uniform and high-quality light output.

Problems solved by technology

In many LED devices, the depth required by a single light source is unavailable since other parts of the device, such as the heat sink and driver, take up a significant proportion of the available space.

Such light is in many cases unwanted, because it creates a halo around the main beam, which often has a sharp, very visible edge.

The center lens, especially because of its imaging characteristics, is problematic when used with COB sources, because the edge of such sources emits fully converted yellowish light.

The center lens puts such light at the edge of the light distribution, thus creating a yellow outermost ring around the light distribution, which is not desired.

The problem of the large center lens images is linked to the geometrical constraints of typical TIR Fresnel collimators.

In other words, there is too high etendue in the center lens section.

To make such a louver device efficient, it needs to be of very thin material, e.g. metal, which makes it expensive.

It thus adds volume and cost to the design.

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